Guatemala 6/29/2019 - 7/13/2019

Monday, 7/8/2019 - Dinner at Isabela's Restaurant

It was once again Monday morning, so it was back to work for me and back to school for the kids. This morning I woke up early for work. Yoselin and Yasmin had friends over from tourism school; they would be doing flower arrangements at school today and were making preparations.

When Craig woke up, we had breakfast: huevos rancheros with black beans, fried plantains, and coffee.

A woman came by selling peaches, and Humberto bought her entire wheelbarrow full! Peaches are a treat, and a family of 9 can easily go through this many before they spoil. Humberto put them into a bag which was then so dense and heavy that Eddy could barely lift it.

As kids wandered in and out of the house, they would grab a peach from the bag. As we sat at the outdoor table, I worked on my laptop while Paulina, Eddy, amd Craig peeled peaches. Paulina then stewed the peaches and everyone enjoyed eating them that way as well.

Lunch was a hamburger patty and vegetable rice. After I was done working for thr day, we played the rummy-like card game with Aracely and Eddy.

Ian was desperately trying to get Paulina's attention, and he would not give up. He kept calling for her. We were immediately reminded of the classic Family Guy gag where Stewie incessantly calls for his mom ("Lois! Mom! Mom! Mommy! Mama!" etc.), just to say hello. We found the clip on Youtube and showed it to the family. They were quite amused by it and asked me to replay it a couple of times. Ian gave a little sinister giggle after watching it.

Yoselin and Yasmin arrived home from school, and they gave us each a rose from their flower arranging course. Yoselin posted some photos online, and it looks like they did a fabulous job.

Every year, we like to treat the family to dinner at Paulina's sister Isabela's restaurant. She is a wonderful cook, and we like to support her business. She has moved locations twice since we first met her, but her food is so good and her hospitality so sincere that her loyal regulars have followed her even when she moved to another part of town.

This was our second time visiting Isabela's current location, which is located on the second floor. Since our party usually takes up the majority of the restaurant, Isabela opens especially for us on her day off.

Humberto, Paulina, all seven kids, plus Cristian, Danny, Craig, and I made our way to the restaurant. We had had invited Yolanda, Fatima, and Juan Carlos as well. Juan Carlos was working at the fire station, but Yolanda and Fatima were able to attend and met us at the restaurant.

We walked to the restaurant, arriving a few minutes late for our appointed 7 p.m. time. (This is typical "Guatemala time"). Isabela's daughters and granddaughters were on hand to help with food preparation and serving. The tables had all been pulled together, and the 15 of us sat down.

Craig had a Gallo beer and I had a rum and Coke. Paulina and Humberto had a Gallo mixed with tomato juice. That must be an acquired taste; one of the few local customs that Craig wasn't willing to try.

We all ordered strawberry shakes (licuados de fresa) and/or soft drinks. Ian Ivan played with the digital jukebox, which hangs on the wall and is shaped like an oversized mp3 player. A lot of laughter ensued, and everyone had a great time socializing.

Craig and I enjoyed Isabela's famous chicken tacos and French fries. Some of the kids ordered hamburgers instead of (or in addition to) the tacos. It was delicious comfort food and we enjoyed it so much, as always.

The fact that the restaurant is usually closed on Mondays doesn't stop regulars from wandering in in search of a cold beer or some delicious tacos. Since she opened specifically for us, Isabela gave us priority, but she never turns away her regulars and will gladly give them something to go.

When we had all eaten so much that we were ready to burst, Isabela brought out a tray of complimentary chicken gizzard appetizers. I had absolutely no room in my stomach to try them, but Craig couldn't resist.

We chatted with Isabela, Nidia, and Isabela's other daughters and granddaughters who had put so much love into the preparation of the food. We were very grateful that they opened on their day off to accommodate us. We like to bring business Isabela's way, and we just enjoy the food so much! It is a tradition we hope to continue with each visit.

We walked back to the house with full bellies. We said goodnight to the family, and Craig and I retired to our room. It was a bit stuffy, so we left the door open for a while to get some cool fresh air. Craig was at his laptop close to the door, and the kids kept peeking in as they went about their evening routine.

At one point, all of the kids ended up in our room at once, as they tried to remove gum from Eddy's hair. They were all so punchy, laughing so hard. We joked that there was a party in our room. That hasn't happened for a long time. When the kids were younger they would hang out in our room all the time. As they've gotten older and have gotten used to tourists staying in the rooms, they try to give us our privacy. We miss the spontaneity of their younger years, so this was a fun throwback.

Peaches

Peaches

Dinner at Isabela's Restaurant

Dinner at Isabela's Restaurant

Dinner at Isabela's Restaurant

Dinner at Isabela's Restaurant

Isabela and her daughters and granddaughters

Isabela and her daughters and granddaughters

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